Tuesday, 29 July 2025

Questions without notice and ministers statements

Early childcare education and care

Brad BATTIN (Berwick – Leader of the Opposition) (14:04): My question is to the Premier. The Minister for Children recently stated that the Victorian childcare regulator, the quality assessment and regulation division, is effectively doing its job. Given a man who has been charged with 73 child abuse offences was able to work in 24 childcare centres over multiple years, does the Premier agree with the Minister for Children that QARD is effectively doing its job?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:04): In thanking the Leader of the Opposition for his question, I want to state at the outset all Victorians were absolutely horrified and sickened by these allegations of abuse that the Leader of the Opposition referred to in his question, and in answering his question and in anticipation, if there may be other questions on this matter, I will not do or say anything that will cut across the police investigation. I will come to the question, but I just want to make it clear from the outset that I will not in any way cut across the investigation by Victoria Police. We all want to see justice done in relation to these allegations, and I think it is incumbent upon all of us to act in a way to ensure that Victoria Police do the work that needs to be done to bring justice for these families.

In terms of the issues around how the child safety system needs to be strengthened, I have been clear from day one that keeping children safe in all settings must be a priority. It is clear, whether it is here in Victoria or indeed around the nation, that the system needs to be strengthened, which is why, in reference to the regulatory regime that is in place, we have called for an urgent review where we will implement the recommendations. That review is only a couple of weeks away from being received by the government. But we have not waited; we are acting immediately –

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, in relation to relevance, this is a very narrow question about whether the Premier believes the Minister for Children’s response that QARD is effectively doing its job. I would ask you to ask the Premier to come back to that very direct question.

Mary-Anne Thomas: Deputy Speaker, on the point of order, it is a frivolous point of order. The Premier was being completely relevant to the question, and I ask that you rule the point of order out of order and let the Premier get on with answering this very serious question.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant to the question in regard to the regulatory regime and system. The Premier to continue on the question.

Jacinta Allan: That is why we have indeed already taken action to introduce here into Victoria the register for childcare workers. One of the issues that has been identified is the movement of staff around the system. We are not waiting for a national system to be in place; we are moving here in Victoria. The banning of personal devices will be in operation at the end of September, and we have already moved to strengthen the working with children check regime around the worker screening regulations. I have been clear that when you are guided by the safety of children as a priority, if there is more to do as recommended by the independent review, then we will take the advice of those recommendations.

Brad BATTIN (Berwick – Leader of the Opposition) (14:08): Given the horrific circumstances that have occurred in Victorian childcare centres, why has the Premier chosen to exclude the Victorian childcare regulator from the government’s review?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:08): As I have already outlined, there are urgent actions that we are already taking. I am not going to anticipate the findings of the independent rapid review that is currently being undertaken by Jay Weatherill and Pam White, and we will await the advice of their recommendations.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, this is a very narrow question, and I would ask you to ask, on relevance, the Premier to come back to the question: why is the childcare regulator excluded from the government’s review?

Members interjecting.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! I did not hear the end of that from the Manager of Opposition Business.

Bridget Vallence: On relevance, Deputy Speaker, for the Premier to come back to the very narrow question: why is the regulator excluded from the review?

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant to the review that was in the question. The Premier has concluded her answer.